Listening is a vehicle for us to share information on cochlear implants and hearing loss with hearing healthcare providers, adult CI recipients (and those exploring CI), parents and family members interested in CI, educators who work with deaf and hard of hearing children, and anyone wanting to learn more about cochlear implants. 

ACI Alliance is a not-for-profit organization created with the purpose of eliminating barriers to cochlear implantation by sponsoring research, driving heightened awareness and advocating for improved access to cochlear implants for people of all ages. There is a wealth of information on our website. 

Our work at ACI Alliance follows our mission encompassing research, advocacy, and awareness. Accordingly, Listening covers all three.

We encourage you to share sign-up details for this free e-newsletter with patients, family members, colleagues or anyone who may be interested.

The March issue of The Hearing Journal includes the latest in the "tips" series from ACI Alliance on adult rehabilitation. Authored by Lindsay Zombek, Team Leader in Speech Language Pathology at University Hospital Cleveland and Donna Sorkin, ACI Alliance, we offer the following guidance: “Tips for Overcoming the Challenges of Listening In Noise with a Cochlear Implant." Previous “tips” include “Tips for Cochlear Implant Recipients to Enjoy Music” and “Optimizing Outcomes with a Cochlear Implant: Tips for Adults.” All articles can be accessed for free on our website.

ACI Alliance members actively participate in other organization’s meetings to expand awareness about best practices in cochlear implants. Recently ACI Alliance members and board members have given presentations at several notable conferences around the country to increase awareness with different audiences. Visit our website for details on ACI Alliance presentations at the American Academy of Audiology conference, Hear Indiana Listening and Spoken Language Conference and the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference.

The recently passed FY2022 Omnibus Bill included key provisions that align with ACI Alliance policy issues. CDC is encouraged to continue its activities to prevent Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, and directs CDC to provide an update on efforts to develop, implement, and evaluate CMV prevention strategies in the fiscal year 2023 Congressional Justification. CMV is responsible for hearing loss in 1 in 5 children who have no other known risk factor or cause. Hearing loss related to CMV may not be present at birth, but rather delayed in onset and hence would be missed by newborn hearing screening and may fluctuate or progress during childhood.

The Omnibus bill also directs NIH to include updates on hearing health screening for older adults in fiscal year 2023 Congressional Justification. Incorporating hearing health screening for older adults has been an issue ACI Alliance has worked on for a number of years with other hearing health organizations and by educating family and general practitioners on the importance of screening.

ACI Alliance and AudiologyOnline are proud to launch a collaborative recorded series covering ACI Alliance Task Force Guidelines for Determining Cochlear Implant Candidacy in four populations:

All sessions are free to view in recorded format, though require registration in AudiologyOnline for an attendee to receive CEUs.

The CI2022 DC Program Committee has released the scientific program. Plan your sessions below. 

CI utilization rates remain low among individuals who meet audiometric criteria for CI. Although the annual proportion of CI recipients to new audiometric candidates has increased, the total population of untreated audiometric CI candidates continues to rise.

ACI Alliance member Ivette Cejas PhD, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is a co-author on a recently published paper “Development and Validation of a Parenting Stress Module for Parents of Children Using Cochlear Implants,” to develop and validate a cochlear implant (CI)-specific parenting stress measure using the FDA Guidance on Patient-Reported Outcomes.

The Cochlear Implants, Innovation, Research and Advancement (CIRCA) Virtual Workshop was held on February 1-2, 2022. The workshop reached an international audience of over 300 attendees from government, industry, academia, professional societies, and the clinical field (patients, physicians, and medical professionals). ACI Alliance served on the Organizing Committee. The recordings from the workshop are now online for your access. 

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